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TRP: Gwydion and Jonn (Empty Promises)
Mink: at 4:02 PM 152. Setting: Gwydion's tower on the night of Candlenight. Gifts. Food. Drinking. Friends. Family. Life. Joy. Family. Raef had spoken with him, but that distance was still there. Something had crept between them in the seventy years they were apart. Gwydion didn't know what had happened to Raef and the man who had raised him wasn't telling him just like he hadn't told him that he was engaged to a half-orc. He only knew that from the necklace adorning the half-orc's neck. Despite the irritation with Raef, they spoke and he enjoyed the Candlenight festivities. Many of them carried their gifts or wore gifts as they talked with one another. The most peculiar he received was tucked away throughout the party and he mingled when hr could, but he spent much of it just watching. Much like the others he knew these people were so full of life and warmth, and he loved it. He left towards the end, once the festivities began to end, he left to his tower alone but for the skull that lingered at the back of his mind. Once there Gwydion secured the door and drew a cover over his window. He lit several candles to cast a warm glow around the tower and he withdrew the skull to place it on his desk. He looked around the room, checking for any Intruders - living or otherwise. Since Asenka and Tricksy he had yet to feel relaxed and in control. Satisfied no one was around, he found the staff Lyra had made him -- he owed her more than he could repay. He tapped it as he looked at the skull; this was a spell he had never done and he had no choice but to trust that staff would work. Green light flickered and wavered around his fingertips before rolling out as if it were made of fog, wrapping around the staff before he directed it towards the skull. It was time to see who owned it. Izzy: at 5:37 PM The smooth, clean skull was silent, for a time, as the necrotic magic took hold of it -- permeating the bone, lighting up the eye sockets. The room grew colder, and seemed to become darker as the green light inside the skull flared, then shot five smaller, floating flames up into a half-circle halo. One for each question the spirit could answer. A sound like tremulous, panicked feminine breathing, muffled and distorted as if heard underwater, came from the skull, but it was otherwise unresponsive, waiting for the first request. Mink: at 7:22 PM Gwydion kept hold of the staff as the flames appeared and the sound of quickened breathing filled the room. His jaw tightened as he fought to settle himself; he was only allowed five questions and he had to weigh each carefully. Finally he asked, "What is your name?" Izzy: at 7:26 PM One flame in the halo flickered out. The breathing faltered, as if surprised. Then it steadied a little, though the voice was filtered by the same distant, through-water effect, shaky and whispering. "My name is Lexa Sterling." Mink: at 7:29 PM There was no information within that name. "Who were you when you were still living?" Izzy: at 7:43 PM The second flame winked out, on the opposite side from the first. There was a pause as if the spirit was unsure how to respond. The answer came out broken. "Thief. Mother." Mink: at 7:45 PM More information, but not enough. Not quite. Gwydion's grip tightened on the staff. "Mother of who?" Izzy: at 7:46 PM The third flame extinguished itself, leaving only two. "Lucienne," the spirit whispered. "Jonn." Mink: at 7:48 PM Gwydion nearly grimaced at the names. Of course. "Who did you work for?" Izzy: at 7:53 PM The second-to-last flame went out. Only the largest one, directly over the crown of the skull, was left. "Baron. Helena Baron," the spirit said. The voice was growing fainter with each depleted green flame. A tapping came from the covered window to Gwydion's side. Mink: at 7:56 PM Gwydion looked towards before he looked back to the skull; he had one question left and the spell lasted an awfully short time. "Who is Jonn Sterling?" Izzy: at 8:00 PM The last flame blinked out, and the room went dark as the skull's green glow and every other light source in the room followed it. The spirit softly cried, "Murderer." Another tap came from the window, impatient. Mink: at 8:03 PM Gwydion let out the shaky breath he had been holding in. He glanced towards the window ago, but ignored it for the moment as he tucked the staff away and placed the skull carefully near where his incense and candles were resting. Only then did he draw back the covering of his window to see who, or what, was tapping. Izzy: at 8:14 PM Jonn waited outside, boots against the base of the window, holding onto a rope that extended somewhere over his head, to the top of the tower, with one hand. He waved silently with the other. His expression was flat. Mink: at 8:17 PM "What a surprise, little dove," Gwydion said with a smile after pulling the window open. Whether this was a pleasant surprise or not, he didn't know. "Come on in." Izzy: at 8:25 PM Jonn swung in, boots clapping onto the floor, tracking in snow. He didn't figure he needed to be quiet -- the tower was isolated from the rest of the castle, and he could see the entire room. Someone else might be downstairs, but he'd hear them coming -- and he didn't really think anyone else would be visiting Gwydion, anyway. He wasn't really one of the Graverunners. Still, Jonn was glad he was here. He hesitated in place, for a second. He was cold and flushed from being outside, but it wasn't actually much warmer inside, at least in this part of the castle. And he was tired from crying, and from climbing, a bit, and he couldn't stop thinking about the horned thief waiting for him in the field, staring at him blankly from behind the mask. He stepped forward and clutched Gwydion in a hug, planting his cheek against Gwydion's chest. Mink: at 8:35 PM Gwydion took a step back to give Jonn room to maneuver into the room. The young man looked out of sorts, face reddened and skin radiating the chill of the night. Before he could venture a question, Jonn was holding onto him. He stiffened, hesitating with a hand hovering over Jonm's shoulder, before he wrapped his arms around him to hold him close. He was uncertain what to do or what to say as he stood there, feeling Jonn's soft breaths and the hands clutching his clothing. Izzy: at 8:52 PM Huh. Yeah. This was okay. He knew it was stupid, and he shouldn't, and Gwydion was dangerous, but he relaxed a bit and closed his eyes. Leaned into him. Sighed. Gwydion wasn't that warm, either, but Jonn hadn't had to badger and antagonize him into hugging back, like he did with Finch. And Gwydion was all -- tall and shit. He liked it. After a moment, he half-opened his eyes again and mumbled, "Hey, did you like your gift?" Mink: at 8:58 PM When his heartrate began to slow down and some of the tightness began to ease, Gwydion could let himself enjoy the warmth and softness of Jonn's embrace. He chuckled softly at the mumbled question. "I did. You are the first person to have ever given me something like that." It was a worrying gift, but it was also a unique gift, he supposed. Izzy: at 9:09 PM "Huh. Really?" He didn't really want to pull back, but he knew he should. Hm. Hansel would tell him -- well, Hansel wouldn't want him anywhere near Gwydion in the first place, he was guessing. Luci would -- yeah, probably the same thing. Helena? She'd probably remind him to get everything she could out of Gwydion before inevitably stabbing him. Finch would probably go straight for the stabbing. He untangled himself carefully and backed away a couple steps to prop himself against the cold wall, watching Gwydion closely. Caught himself wanting to fidget with his cloak and made himself cross his arms instead, to be still. He tilted his head. "So did you talk to her yet?" Mink: at 9:22 PM When Jonn stepped away, Gwydion took a step back as well. He pulled at his cloak to remove it, having forgotten to do so when he entered the tower. It was usually cool in there and he had been in a rush to speak with the - with Lexa. "I did." He turned away to hang his cloak on a peg before reaching up to unpin the class holding back strands of his hair. "She was willing to answer." He was willing to wager that she had also been telling the truth. Her clear words and panicked, swift -- -- he winced as he pricked his finger with a pin. He sucked away the droplet of blood. He set the pin aside and moved to rest a hip against the table, placing a hand on top as he looked to Jonn. Even now, even with this subject, the man was beautiful. Izzy: at 9:40 PM Jonn's eyes widened a little. Exciting. Maybe it'd be worth the trouble he was going to get in. He'd kind of hoped he'd get here first, and maybe he and Gwydion could talk to her together. It'd been a long time since he'd heard her voice. But after Luci had gone inside, he'd hidden in the stables in a corner and had to calm down for a while, and -- then he'd thought about Flynn, and it'd taken longer. Flynn had held him without being asked, too. "So what'd --." He got distracted for a moment by the way the moonlight hit Gwydion's hair, the color it turned. "What'd you ask her?" Mink: at 9:49 PM He thought about lying. It was probably what he should do with Jonn; there was so something painfully, beautifully wrong with him. Jonn was broken in ways he could hardly fathom. Yet... Yet... The thought skittered away and Gwydion gave a faint smile. "Her name." Lexa Sterling. He wouldn't forget it. "...and who she was." Jonn could make of that what he wanted. "...who she worked for...and about you." Izzy: at 9:58 PM Jonn grinned. Gwydion was so fucking clever. Asking all the right questions. He kicked a heel against the wall, shaking loose a little more snow. "Did she sound scared?" he asked. "I always wondered. After they're dead." He kept grinning. "Was she fucking afraid of me?" December 23, 2018 Mink: at 4:13 AM "She sounded frightened," Gwydion corrected, a soft smile pulling at his lips. "Oh, I think she was afraid of you, little dove." The smile widened briefly. He was sure she had every right to be frightened of Jonn before her death, and then she was dragged from Death's clutches to be asked about her life and about Jonn...it wasn't necessarily a pleasant thought. Gwydion tapped table lightly before he straightened. "You should have been there, little dove, but now I have a question for you." He stepped closer to Jonn, moving near his side, before leaning in close. He loosely twisted one lock of Jonn's hair around a finger as he whispered, breath soft against Jonn's ear, "Have you figured out your gift yet?' Izzy: at 7:00 AM Jonn had a moment to be pleased -- wishing again he'd gotten to the tower earlier so he could have asked himself, asked do you remember? are you suffering? do you regret it? -- before Gwydion slipped close to him and he tensed. His grin fell away and his expression went flat again. He wondered what Gwydion would do if he grabbed his pretty hair, and dragged his face down and bit his lip again. (Hansel would say fucking keep away from him. Helena would patiently ask kitten, what are you getting out of this?) "No," he said obliquely, not moving. "It's elvish, right? I don't know elvish. Just common and orcish and a little infernal." He itched to back off or to shove Gwydion away. Decided on a different tactic and took a handful of Gwydion's collar in his fist, and tilted his chin up to meet Gwydion's ear. "You're just gonna have to tell me what you're giving me to my fucking face." Mink: at 7:10 AM A smile flickered over Gwydion's lips when Jonn gripped his collar. It was a wonderful contrast to the man that had slipped through his window to draw him into a hug that had been almost tender. "That is a very tempting suggestion," he whispered, releasing the strand of hair he still played with before sliding a finger down along Jonn's collar. "It's only one thing, and that thing is whatever your little heart desires." Izzy: at 7:24 AM Fucking interesting. "You sure you wanna do that?" he asked, flicking through possibilities in his head. His skin crawled under Gwydion's touch and he kept wanting to jerk away and not letting himself do it, thought about wasting the request on don't fucking touch me unless I tell you to, but that would be a future investment. That would assume he'd have enough time to want Gwydion to touch him, and then not. He wondered what'd happen if he just -- asked. If Gwydion would back off, like Finch did. But that'd be admitting he wasn't in control, and trusting Gwydion, and Gwydion was too scary and beautiful to trust. Mink: at 7:31 AM "I never off something I'm not sure of." Except with Tricksy, but that was something that Jonn could never be privy to. Oh, Jonn was beautiful and oh so enticing, but there were some things better kept quiet. Gwydion let his hand move to gently pry Jonn's fingers offer his collar. "But if you're uncertain then I will rescind my offer." Izzy: at 7:48 AM Shit. This was a toss-up. If he shrugged and walked away and said, all right. I don't care, that'd show Gwydion that he was unimportant -- it'd let Jonn stay on top. But a favor, anything he wanted, that was some fucking power, too. Middle ground, right? Right. He dropped his hand and stepped back, crossing his arms again to keep his nerves from showing. He wished he could imitate that face Hansel did, when he looked at people much smaller than him who thought they could threaten him -- the detatched, pitying amusement. All Jonn could manage was the detachment. "No," he said. "I'm sure I can come up with some kinda use for you." And he let his eyes flicker to the bed, and linger there for a moment in consideration, to string him along. Then he realized he actually would like to spend the night with Gwydion, and thought, Aw, fuck. "I have to -- go, soon," he said abruptly. "I got shit to do other than you." He remembered that the first thing he'd done when he'd been let in was to grab Gwydion and hug him, like he'd fucking missed him or something, and more quietly added, "I'm glad you liked your gift." He looked away. "I wanted to make up for ditching you." Mink: at 8:27 AM Glancing to the bed, stepping away, crossing his arms...it was the song-and-dance that was swiftly growing familiar and Gwydion smiled softly. Jonn was predictable, and that made this easier. "Oh, I believe you have nearly done that." Gwydion didn't believe that Jonn cared about leaving him within the dungeons, but he could play along a little while longer. He smoothed out his robes before he turned in search for one of his bottle of wine and a glass. "Would you like one glass before you leave me on such short notice?" Izzy: at 10:59 AM Jonn thought about just disappearing while his back was turned -- slipping back out the window and down the rope. Ignore the question entirely. He was trying to stop drinking so much, would be the honest reply, because he never knew when to stop if someone didn't tell him to, and he didn't think Gwydion would tell him to stop, or that he'd listen even if he did. And he didn't like wine, anyway. He would still drink too much of it, but he didn't like it. His fingers dug into his arms. He eyed the skull, resting among candles and incense, looking like it belonged here. Gwydion had been warmer than the room, and he'd hesitated, but Jonn had felt his heart beating fast. He could think of two reasons why that might be, and they seemed equally likely. "No," he said. Could coquettishly insist I don't drink. Didn't. "I want something else." Mink: at 11:04 AM Gwydion paused as he reached for the glass, glancing towards Jonn. Oh, that was interesting. "And what would that be?" he asked as he leaned against the table, setting the glass down with the bottle. He popped it open as he waited for an answer. Izzy: at 11:10 AM Hansel said, Just fucking be honest. Just say what you want. But the problem with that was that he didn't know what he wanted, all the time, and mostly when he did know, he also knew it was something he wasn't supposed to want. Helena said, Say whatever you have to to get what you want, and he was really fucking good at that, but sometimes he talked himself into thinking he wanted things that he didn't actually want. He figured either Gwydion wanted to kill him, or Gwydion was afraid of him. Those were usually the only two reactions people had to him. Sometimes they had them at the same time, like Finch. So he said, "I want you to tell me how you feel about me. It can be the favor, if you want. Just don't lie." He studied Gwydion's face, his own expression blank again. "I'll know. And if you come any closer to me while you're saying it, I'll fucking stab you." Mink: at 11:19 AM If he had been holding the glass, it was likely it would have fallen before he could have stopped the reaction. He hadn't anticipated it, hadn't anticipated that Jonn would ask such a thing. He twisted the cup on the table, weighing his choices and his answers, eyes following the movement before he looked back up to Jonn. How did he feel about him? How did he feel about anyone? But Jonn was not just anyone. He was woefully, wonderfully different...and he was broken. Like him. But did that mean anything? Gwydion released the glass and he took a step closer despite the threat. "If you want honesty..." Another step. "...I find you..." One more. "... absolutely fascinating." Another. "...beautiful. Charming...dangerous." Another step and it took him much closer. "You can stab me if you wish, Jonn Sterling, but I will still find you the most wonderful being I have ever met." Izzy: at 11:38 AM Jonn flipped a knife out of his sleeve and let the tip rest casually against Gwydion's gut, keeping him from coming any closer. Ought to stab him properly, to prove the threat hadn't been hollow. Just a little bit. Not enough to really hurt him. But he smiled, pleased. "Good. I like you too." He let the blade press against Gwydion for a moment more before pulling it back into his sleeve as he stepped away, back up into the window to perch there on his toes, holding onto the rope with one hand. "Hey. The half-orc who lives here, Hansel? He's my dad. The actual one, not the one I stabbed. And the tortle is my brother. If you do anything that hurts either of them --." He jerked his chin towards the skull. "She can tell you what I'll do." Mink: at 11:46 AM He listened to the point resting against his stomach, not stepping closer, but he also didn't step back. If Jonn was going to embed it in his stomach he would have already done so. "Oh, little dove, I don't think you know me very well if you think I would hurt Hansel or Roddy." Those two he enjoyed, particularly Hansel. He wouldn't dwell on the why, that was something for another time. Roddy was... infectious, enjoysble...full of life. Gwydion smoothed down his robes. "When you're ready for your favor, you know where to find me." He went back to his table to fill his glass. Izzy: at 12:13 PM Jonn grinned. He'd've been fine using the favor up on this -- it was worth it to get a clean read on Gwydion, for once -- but now he got to think about what else he could use Gwydion for. Exciting. And Roddy and Hansel were both likable people, he thought, in general, and so was the captain, so those threats probably weren't really necessary, but he brightly added, "Okay. I'll fucking kill you if you do anything to Goro, too." Then he kicked off the window frame, singsonging, "Miss you already, sweetheart," as he disappeared down the rope. Mink: at 12:48 PM "Good-bye, little dove." Gwydion smiled as he watched Jonn disappear down the rope, but the smile vanished once he had closed the window and secured the covering. Oh, it had been an eventful night, and it had given him much to think on. He sank down onto his bed and sipped his wine before he rested his forehead in his hand...so much to think on... End Title: Empty Promises Summary: Gwydion converses with Lexa Sterling and learns she was working for Helena Baron. Jonn seeks out Gwydion in his tower, gets a hug, then the two have a heart-to-heart of sorts. Jonn threatens Gwydion over Roddy, Hansel, and Goro. Category:Text Roleplay